Well I've pondered a 4-53 swap, but I'm leaning towards a 3-53 Gamma Goat engine and trans. The transmission is useless with the wacky shift linkage but the bellhousing is the most important part. I understand it can be machined to accept a NV4500 which my NP208 transfer case will bolt right up...
I put a Banks turbo on my J code 6.2 and it had far more power than stock, about 210 hp. I'm going to do an aluminum 3-53 swap in the M1008 I have now. Yeah you can wake up a 6.2 but that engine is just a time bomb. 2 stroke Detroit's are pretty much bullet proof.
Hey Valor, I've been wanting to do this conversion since I got this truck. I need to know how to mount the front of the engine to the crossmember, and what I need to do for the rear bellhousing mounts as well.
This is what I'd like to do with my 84 K30. The fenders can be removed on this type so it doesn't exceed the width of the the original front clip. Knowing GM, the filler panels behind the hood will more than likely bolt up to the cab where the original fenders meet the cab.
I plan on trying this myself with an 82 nose. The fenders can be removed on this type so the hood would be the same width as the original clip on my 84 K30.